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One of Pearl S. Buck's less frequently mentioned but very powerful novels (1938), which is quite different from her Chinese sagas. It is the story of a gifted, proud woman who struggles to remain both an artist and a woman, in a world that finds it diffic
The main character Susan Gaylord is an exceptionally gifted sculptor – strong, intelligent, full of energy and pride. She is capable of everything: from housework, music and cooking to creating large sculptural works in stone and clay. After the death of her first husband, she faces a new marriage and a constant conflict between her deep need for artistic creation and social expectations of women – mother, wife and housewife.
The novel follows her inner conflict: how much can she give to art without losing the people she loves? Susan is ambitious and independent at a time when women were expected to be devoted to their family above all else. Her “proud heart” – a strong identity and gift – is at the same time her greatest strength and source of loneliness.
Buck writes here about a topic that was personally close to her – the balance between career and family, female creativity and the prices that talent demands. The novel is psychologically deep, realistic and without pathos, with the character of Susan who is lively, complex and very modern for her time.
One copy is available
